Telegraph-key.



No. 863,810. PATBNTED AUG. 20, 1907. H. SMITH.

TELEGRAPH KEY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17.1906.

W1 TNESSES:

HENRY SMITH, OF RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.

TE LE GRAPH-KE Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 20, 1907.

Application filed July 17, 1906. Serial No. 326,619.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Raleigh, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Telegraph-Key, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to telegraph keys, of that general class in which a vibratory member is employed for the sending of dots, and another member for the sending of dashes. I

The principal object of the invention is to provide a key in which the operation is similar to that of the ordinary Morse key, that is to say, operable by depression in a vertical plane as distinguished from the usual vibratory key where the movement is in a horizontal plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a key that is of very simple and economical construction and by which messages may be sent with the utmost accuracy and rapidity.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for adjusting the sensitiveness of the vibratory member in order to increase or decrease the speeds at which a circuit is opened and closed in the sending of dots.

With these and other objects in view, as will more frilly hereinafter appear, the invention consists in cer-, tain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details of the structure may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of a telegraph key constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same showing the dot sending key moved to operative position.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

The key is mounted on a base 10 that preferably is provided with bottom pads 11 formed of rubber or other suitable material. The base carries a frame 15 which is approximately U-shape in its general contour, and said frame has a transversely arranged bearing for the reception of a short rock shaft 16, to the left hand end of which is secured the dot key lever 17, the outer end of the latter having a finger piece 18 of any ordinary construction. To this key lever is arranged a stop 19 for limiting the down stroke of the key. To the right hand end of the shaft 16 is pivoted a dash sending key 20 having a finger piece 21 at its outer end, the finger piece 21 being arranged immediately alongside the finger piece 18, so that in use two fingers oi the hand may be conveniently employed, one on the finger piece 18 for the sending of dots, and the other on the finger piece 2]. for the sending of dashes. Under the finger piece 21 is a stop 22 which, also, forms a contact that is connected by a wire 23 to a binding post 24, the latter being c011- nected in the usual manner to the main line wire.

Projecting from the inner or pivoted end of the lever 20 is a stop 24 which is arranged to engage with the base for the purpose of limiting the upward movement of said lever.

Secured to the rock shaft 16 is a vertically disposed metallic frame 25, to the upper end of which is secured a leaf spring 26, and to the top of the leaf spring is secured a short rod 27, preferably of rectangular form in cross section. The leaf spring 26 carries a contact 28, formed of platinum or other suitable material and this contact is adapted to be moved into and from engagement with a screw contact 29 that is carried by the shorter arm of the U-shaped frame, and is connected, also, to the wire 23.

The dot sending key is normally held in its elevated position by a tension spring 32 extending between the vertical arm 25 and a screw 33, the latter serving as a means for adjusting the stress of the spring.

The upper bar 27 carries a vertically adjustable weight 34 which may be locked in adjusted position by a set screw 35, and said weight is normally held against a stop piece 36 formed of felt or other cushioning material, the stop being carried by the longer arm of the U- shaped frame. The vertical arm 25 is connected by a wire 37 to a binding post 38 that is connected in the main line.

The two binding posts 24 and 33 are preferably connected by wires 39 and 40 to a clip 41, comprising a short handle piece 42 and two elastic contacts 43 and 44, the latter being provided with a strip of insulating material 46, and the contacts 43 and 44 being connected, respectively, to the wires 39 and 40. This clip may be slipped under the clip of an ordinary Morse key to connect the instrument with a circuit, so that the device may be installed without the necessity of detaching the Morse key.

In operation, the dashes are sent in the usual way by depressing and releasing the finger piece 21, the circuit being opened and closed between binding post 24, wire 23, contact 22, key lever 20, rock shaft 16, arm 25, wire 37, binding post 38. When dots are to be sent, the finger piece 18 is depressed, and the arm 25 is swung forward, this movement being checked by the stop 19 and also by the engagement of the contact 28 with a screw 29. Inasmuch as the contact 28 is carried by the spring strip 26 at a point some distance above the lower end of the strip, the strip will be set into vibration to the acquired momentum of the weight 34, and said strip will vibrate a number of times sufi icient to send the largest number of dots employed in any character of any telegraph outfit. By adjusting the position of the weight 34, the vibration may be rendered more rapid or more sluggish, so that the speed of sending may be adjusted at will.

1. In a vibratory dot sending key, a vertically arranged vibratory spring, a contact carried thereby, a key actuated carrying member for said spring, and a second contact with which the spring carried contact engages.

2. In a vibratory dot sending key, a key lever, a vertical arm connected thereto a vibratory spring strip carried thereby, a contact on said strip, a second contact cooperating with the spring carried contact in opening and closing the circuit, and a weight at the upper end of the spring.

3. In a vibratory dot sending key, a key lever, a vertical arm carried thereby, a spring strip secured to the upper end of the arm, a rod secured to the upper end of the strip, a weight mounted on the rod, a contact carried by the spring, a second contact cooperating with the spring carried contact for opening and closing the circuit, and means for stopping the movement of the key lever to permit independent vibratory movement of the spring.

a. In a vibratory dot sending telegraph key, a frame, a rock shaft having a bearing therein, a key lever secured to the rock shaft, a vertical arm carried by the rock shaft, a

spring secured to said arm, a contact carried by the spring, a second contact with which the spring carried contact engages, a rod secured to the upper end of the spring, a weight adjustable on said rod, means for locking the weight in adjusted position, a stop for limiting the downward movement of the key, and a cushion carried by the frame and against which the weight moves in seeking a position of rest.

5. In a telegraph key, the combination with a frame, of a rock shaft journaled therein, a dot sending key secured to the rock shaft, a dash sending key pivoted to the rock shaft, the keys having a finger piece arranged adjacent to each other, a vertical arm carried by the rock shaft, a spring strip secured to the upper end of the arm, a rod secured to the upper end of the spring strip, an adjustable weight on said rod, a cushioning pad for the weight, a contact carried by the spring, and a second contact carried by the frame and with which the spring carried contact engages.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto :lfliXed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY SMITH.

Witnesses FRANK B. SIMPSON, .T.\s. A. Eenrurox. 

